Valencia, as a city, is a happy few favourite for a city break: the sparkling sea, the vibrant taverns, that immense beach, and those incredible urban landmarks. But what if we make it a whole holiday in the area? Embrace the open road for day trips that are nothing short of an escape to wonderland.
ESCAPE ONE: Peñíscola
Who was first? The Knights Templar or the dragons? If this is your kind of mind race, you simply must go to Peñíscola. Take Costa del Azahar (Azahar means citrus blossom 🙂 ) north from Valencia towards Barcelona on either the highway or the national road, if you want to make a few stops along the way.
Sagunt is a very old fortress and Benicàssim a lovely beach resort, especially for families. The intriguing mountainous region inland, west of Peñíscola, is worth a lazy drift, because it opens a completely different landscape, more stern and quiet and aloof than the serene coastline. The incredible Morella and Vilafranca, close to the border with Aragon, are rare findings for the happy few chasing castles and fortresses. But the destination in mind is Peñíscola, the wonderful beach town made unique by its inimitable castle that emerges from the sea almost miraculously.
The castle is called “Castell del Papa Luna”, remembering Pope Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna), who lived here for almost ten years, starting 1415. But what about earlier ages? The history of the place melts into legend: Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians. What about dragons? If Hannibal dropped by, why would it be so incredible to imagine Daenerys’ dragons flying over? The present castle is sure to have been built by Knights Templar at the end of the 13th century, but what’s equally certain is that Game of Thrones’ Meereen was filmed here in 2015.
It took me a whole afternoon to discover the obvious and the hidden beauties of the fortress, and I still went back the next day. Still inhabited and painted white and blue, the houses and the little shops and taverns truly spell “playground” all over. Going up the streets to the castle and the lighthouse, new angles and colours open up at every turn, while the sea is the perfect backdrop for every photo. When I got back into town, I went onto the beach until sunset, and all the time I said to myself: this is one beach with a view.
ESCAPE TWO: ORANGE GROVES
An afternoon in the orange grove in late April, when the trees are in blossom, is an all time happyfew favorite. The region is home to one of the best varieties of oranges in the world, and orange groves stretch into the Valencian hillside for hundreds of miles. The area north of Valencia, between Xativa and Gandia (Valldigna, Carcaixent are amazing) is filled with orange groves. The same south of Valencia, in the province of Castellon, where you can find the world’s only orange museum: Burriana’s Museu de la Taronja.
Valencian oranges are exceptionally intense in colour and fragrance and taste. The micro-climate here offers the perfect balance of sunshine through the warm seasons and cold during the winter, like a perfectly constructed plot that balances poetry and drama. The fruit is aromatic and the colour is deep, but their blossom is purely intoxicating. The whole countryside is under a scented spell during the magical weeks between early April and mid-May.
ESCAPE THREE: ALBUFERA
Albufera, Valencia’s lagoon with wild beaches, sand dunes, rice fields and pine woods. It is literally the birth place of Valencian paella and where the rice comes from, and you can spend the day bird watching in the lagoon or take shelter from the heat under the pine trees. The beach is natural, no umbrellas and no sunbeds, and very few people outside peak season.
ESCAPE FOUR: GO SOUTH
When the open road and the endless coastline call to you, head south towards Alicante. This isn’t a trip about ticking off individual stops, but rather about laid-back discovery. Passing through charmers like Cullera and Denia, be sure to seek out the dramatic cliffs of Cabo Sant Antoni and Cap Nau. Heading even further south, the lovable Moraira awaits. For a truly breathtaking panorama, the Natural Park of Peñón de Ifach offers views from its towering rock that are nothing short of spectacular. Avoid the big resorts such as Benidorm, Villajoyosa, or Calpe at all costs; they will ruin the feel. I personally hold Benidorm as my number one hideous beach resort.
